Loose-leaf binder.



PATENTED FEB. 27, 1906.

E. A. TRUSSELL. LOOSEVLEAF BINDER. APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1905.

m m M fhnem'e s. W 5 5720734. Jrwlell UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMORY A. TRUSSELL, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO SIEBER 8n TRUSSELL MNFG. 00., A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 27, 1906.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EMORY A. TRUSSELL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Loose-Leaf Binders, of which the following is a specification and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The invention relates to that form of binder in which openablefarches are secured to a back plate and are adapted to secure in place the sheets to be bound.

The object of the invention is to simplify the construction and operation of devices of this kind; and it consists in improved means for accomplishing the spreading and closing of the arches, as hereinafter described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a detail lan of the binder open. Fig. 2 is a section of tfie binder on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the back of the binder, showing one form of arch. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing a different form of arch. Fig. 6 is a detail of a part of the arch shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail of the spring used in connection with the arch shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a detail of the back plate for carrying the arches, and Figs. 9, 10, and 11 are details of a further modification.

The binder is shown as being provided with cover-plates 10 11, which are flexibly hinged to a back 12. A plate: 13 for carrying the arches is secured to the inner face of the back 12, as shown in the present instance, by means of tangs 14, struck up from the plate and set through the back plate 12. Lugs 15 16 are struck up from the plate '13 and fold over and secure in place'the arches. latter consist, in the structure illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, of a.single metal rodwrought to annular form and flattened at its middle portion, as shown at 17, to rest firmly against the plate 13, the lugs 15 and 16 overlapping this flattened portion and securing the arch in place. The arch thus consists of two semicircular members 18 and 19, and their ends are preferably carfed or oblique, as plainly shown at 20, so that they may more readily The enter the apertures of the sheets to be bound and will fit smoothly together.

The arch is preferably made of spring metal and so formed that its ends normally spring apart, the fleXure being at its flattened middle portion. A slide-plate 21, having a bearing on the plate 13, has its edges upturned, as shown at 22, to form flanges which have beveled ends, as shown at 23, adapted to engage the members 18 and 19 of the arch and force them toward each other by a cam action. One end of the plate 21 is upturned, as shown at 24, to form a thumb-piece, by which the plate may be moved.

The flanges 22 of the plate 21 serve as locks to prevent the opening of the arches. The withdrawal of the plate allows the sections of the arch to slide down upon the oblique ends 23 of the cam-flanges, the elasticity of the arch causing them to spread as the plate is drawn forward.

If desired, the arch may be formed of two semicircular sections, as 25 26, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the inner ends of these sections being flattened and overlapping and being secured together by means of the lugs 15 and 16. The flattened portions of the arch-sections are preferably laterally notched, as

shown at 27, to receive the lugs 15 and 16.

In this form of construction the elasticity of the metal of which the arch is formed may, if desired, be relied upon for opening the arch; but preferably a supplemental spring 28 may be employed, taking the form of a short flat section having its ends bifurcated, as shown in Fig. 7, to straddle the members of the arch and fitting into notches 29, formed in the inner faces of these arch members. The length of the spring 28 is such that when the arches are closed it bows upwardly, as shown in Fig. 5, and its eifort to assume the straightened form will open the arches when the camflanges 22 are drawn forward.

In the modification of Figs. 9, 10, and 11 the arches 25 26 have their flattened inner ends in the same plane and abutting, as shown in Fig. 9. At the extreme inner end of each of the arches are lateral lugs 30 31, which enter apertures in vertical lugs 32 33, struck up from the plate 13. In order to prevent the ends of the arches 25 26 from sliding past each other, the width of the apertures in the lugs 32 33 at their middle portions is the same as the thickness of the lugs In order to allow a pivotal movement of the pron s, the apertures in the lugs 32 33 are widenec at their ends, as shown.

I claim as my invention 1. In a device of the kind described, in combination, a back plate, a spring-opened arch secured thereto, and a cam acting in opposition to the spring to close the arch.

2. In a device of the kind described, in combination, a back plate, a spring-opened arch secured thereto, and a sliding cam actinghin opposition to the spring to close the arc 3. In a device of the kind described, in combination, a back plate 5 a spring-opened arch formed of a single rod curved to annular form and flattened to seat upon the plate and having its ends provided with interengaging faces; and a sliding cam acting on the side members of the arch to force them together.

4. In a device of the kind described, in combination, a back plate; a spring-opened arch formed of a single rod curved to annular form and'fiattened to seat upon the plate and having its ends provided with interengaging faces; a sliding cam acting on the side members of the arch to force them together and a spring interposed and reacting between the side members of the arch.

5. In a device of the kind described, in combination, a back plate; a spring-opened arch having its meeting ends provided with interengagmg faces; a spring for spreading the sides of the arch; a cam-plate slidingly seated on the back plate and having its edges upwardly flanged and beveled to engage the arch members to force them together.

EMORY A. TRUSSELL.

Witnesses:

LoUIs K. GiLLsoN, E. M. KLATOHER. 

